Truck-frame.



R. B. SHERIDAN.

TRUGK FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13,1913.

P tented Aug.19,1918.

Witnesses:

- rivets, to the opposite sides of the web of the nnirnn srarns PATENT onnrcn.

RICHARD B. SHERIDAN, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TGF THE BROWN HOISTING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION.

TRUCK-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed na 19,11 are.

Application filed March 13. 1913. Serial No. 754,000.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, RICHARD B. SHERI- DAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga. and State of Ohio, United States of America, have invented a new and useful Truck-Frame, of which a clear and exact description, with references therein to drawings that accompany and make a part of the specification, is hereinafter fully set forth.

The more general use for the device in question will be as a movable support for the respective ends of the bridge-girders, or L beams forming the track-ways 0t over-head cranes, ore lorries, or transfer cars, upon and along which trackways loads of various sorts are to be traversed. The supporting framework of the end trucks, in such cases, is subjected to a high degree of intensive strain, and it is of corresponding importance that the design of the same shall be such as to locate the center of the strain, in the supporting medium, at such point.- as will, as nearly as possible, reduce all eccentric or indirect strains to a minimum. In the use of truckframes of this class, headspace is generally of prime importance and, in consequenc ythe beam-girders referred to cannot usually be mounted directly upon the top of the truck, but, in some manner, must be firmly connected thereto below the top, and near to the rails upon which the truck is mounted as clearance requirements permit. Said girders are then sometimes butted up centrally against the inner side or face of the truckframes, and, in such relation, bolted against displacement when weight is applied; or, the truck-frame is made in two sections which are fastened, by bolts. braces and I-beam or girder. In such forms of mm struction, besides the need of accurate milling, in each case, and, an undesirable amount of special fitting, that is expensive as well as inconvenient in view of the usual conditions under which the crane is finally installed in its operative place, the weight of the beam that issupported bythe trucks, from the manner of its connection or relation to the truek-fraine, is sure to set up a series oiim direct or eccentric strains therein that it is important to avoid.

The purpose of theprescnt invention is to afford a design for truck-frames of the class ieferred to whereby the requirements of heads pace for the supported 'trackways are minimized, the truck-frames themselves standardized. in an appreciable manner, to the various depths of beams, and abnormal strains avoided or greatly reduced. All this is efiectcd by a constructional plan for the frames that at the same time admits of the machining of all bearing surfaces thereof at the same operation, and whereby a truer alincment is insured in shop practice.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end-truck with a track-member, v

in full lines, in place thereon, and, in dotted lines, the position of other such members when of diiierent depths, and similarly placed. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1 the beam members being removed. Fig. '3 is a view of Fig. 1 from beneath, said members with the truck wheels removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view from within the frame of the truck toward a side of the supported end of the beam-which latter is denoted by dotted lines. Fig. 5' is an overhead crane provided with said trucks in place upon their runways or rails. Fig. 6 is a plan of a portion of said runway with the beam and trucks of the crane in a convenient relative position to be' hoisted simultaneously into place thereon, and, Fig. 7 is a side-view-of a truck-frame for a plurality of supported beams in position on the same.

In the drawings the frame proper comprises a single-piece, or casting 1, made up of a horizontal top-member 2, interrupted or divided midway by a transverse slot or aperture-3, and, a bottom-member 4, consistinn of a fiat portion or seat 5, immediately below said aperture and upwardly inclined I or flarin port-ions 6, 6 'on either side of 5. Said flaring portions of the member 4 respectivelyreach and are merged with the outer extremities of the top-member 2, and, together with the member last named, ex-

tend outwardly as and forming the respective ends of the frame. When a plurality of beams are to be supported the frame, as

with the slot to it the webs of illustrated in r 1g. i, said flat portion or seat will of course ,he prrespondingly extended in dimensions. 'lhese ends are vertically zvpertured or bifurcated, as at "t, 2', to a ole-- gree to permit the truck wheels 8, 8, to be operatively located within the apertures, frame resting upon and being supported by their respective axles which latter are duly journaled, in such position, to and beneathsaid ends, as indicated in the figures. The flat portion 5 of the lower or bottommember a and the transverse aperture 3,

should be of suitable dimensions to accom modate the lower flange of the 'i-bcam to be supported by the truck, when the latter is resting on the portion with the web oi the. beam projecting upwardly through. said slot. It will be found advisable to make the top-member in a solid or entire piece, in the first instance, and then machine out the slot or aperture 3 to a standard width, which may correspond with the maximum webthiclrness used in cranes of the sort. Shims or other special means may then be depended upon for the necessary narrowing of the lesser measurements. In Fig. 1, 10 represents an Lbearn in place within the frame, and 11 and 12, in dotted lines, the relative position of other beams of different depths whcn'similarly placed. To confine the beam against longitudinal displacement bolts 13, passing through the web and the top-niomt on each side thereof, are employed, and, further to this end, a dowelpin is ma be let into the bearing surtace or portion 5, to fit in a cormspmiding hole on the under side of the bcams Straightening members 15, on each side of the top member, and integral with the casting, extend from the aperture. 3 to the member l below. 1 1

lly the 'n'iuciplc (it construction above described, a truck-frame is produced which may be readily adapted, in the field or place of erection, to any size ot beam web desired without riveting or other operation than bolting. By sliding the frames inwardly along the beam (Fig. 6) the latter may be hoisted directly to above the runways without interference of the trucks and ith but a sligl it deflection of the beam itself irom the normal with respect to said runways, whereupon, by turning thebcam until its ends are above the runways, the trucks may be moved to such ends, the bolts 13 secured in their functioned place, and the process oi erecting or assembling the crane be iully carried out. l i heu a crane is thus assembled it is manitest that the beam will be securely hold both in its upright and horizontalrelation with respect to the trucks, the tension strains involved be cured the beam upon the bottom-members 4%, the compression strains by the stated bearing of thempper members 2 against the opposite flange.

for by the directv bearing of sides of the web, and, the weight be sustained, as designed, without any abnormal or undue transmitted strains whatever.

What I claim and wish to secure by ters latent is l. A truck-frame composed of a single piece, comprising a top-member having a transverse anerture of suitable dimensions to admit therein the web of the beam to be supported, a continuous member below said topmcmber, and. end-portions, into which said members merge, of suitable construction to operatively engage the carrying wheels for said frame, substantially as shown and described.

2. A truck-frame, her having a transverse aperture of suitable dimensions to admit therein the web of the beam to be supported, a continuous lower memberbeneath and merging at its extremities into the top-member, and end-portions vertically apert-ured to receive the truck wheels for Said frame, substantially as shown and described.

3. A truck-frame comprising a top-memher, a bottom-member integrally connected therewith, and end-portions suitably constructed to be brought into operative engagement with the carrying-wheels of said frame, said top memher being divided by a transverse aperture of suitable width to admit therethrough the web of the beams to-be supnorted by the frame, substantially as shown and described.

4; A truck for overhead cranes and similar constructions comprising the combination oi a frame top-member, divided by a transverse aperture of suitable width to admit thercthrough'thc web of the track-beam to be Sll1')p(l!l(l'(l by said frame. a bottomt'rumeurwmher, integral with the top-member, having a. seat for said beam below said aperture at a distance therefrom not greater than the depth of said web, and inclining upwardly on either side of said seat to and merging into said top-member, cud-portions on said frame, together with carrying wheels for the frame operatively connected with said ends, substantially as shown and described.

5. A truek-fran'ic comprising a top-member, a bottom-member integrally connected therewith, and end-portions suitably constructed to be brought into operative cugugcmeut with the earryingwhccls of said frame, said tOp-llltlll'lflfl' having a plurality of transverse apertures of suitable width to admit tbcrethrough the webs of the beams to be respectively supported by said frame, substantially as shown and described.

6. A truck for overhead cranes and similar constructions, coniprising the combination of a tontramc-rnembcr, having a plurality of transverse apertures of suitable ridth to admit therctbrough the webs of the Let track-beams to be respectively supported by said truck, a bottom frame-member, integral with the top-member, having a flat portion for said beams below said apertures at a distance therefrom not greater than the depth of the Webs and inclining upwardly on viiher side of said flat portion to and merging into said top-member, end-portions at the frame of said truck, together with carrying-wheels for the truck operatively connected with said end portions. substantially as shown and described.

RICHARD B. SHERIDAN. In presence of L. P. LIPPs, C. S. MALTBIE.

fiopiea of fihfm patent may be obtained for five cents each,

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1). 0. 

